Dishwashing machine



A. M. ow. DISHWASI-IING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILEI) NOV- I5, I919.

Patented June 20, 1922.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

Fig.1.

o I I a E I I? r F: I :III- N \\\N 4 wo W 8 b a m 5 7 a U E S 2 T I Q EI 4 E 3 E Z m Wm x X n n." @T T a juIcIIHi. P. N u" 3 n n" 3 I 4Inventor, Alva M. Dow -by/wkJM Aflys A. M. Dow. I

DISHWASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION HLED NOV- 15, I919.

Patented June 20, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

\nverflov. Mva M. Dow I byWW panying Yum-ran STATES PATENT orrica.

ALVA M. DOW, OF BRAINTREE, MASSACHUSETTS;

DISHWASHING MACHINE.

T 0 Q whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Ann M. Dow, a citizen of the United States. residingat Braintree. county of Norfolk, State of Massachusetts, have inventedan Improvement in Dishwashing Machines. of which the followingdescription, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is aspecification, likecharacters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to a machine for washing dishes and while themachine is capable of being constructed in any size to wash any quantityof dishes it is particularly designed for household use.

The ob ect of the invention is to provide a machine of this characterwhich shall effectively and thoroughly wash and rinse all kinds ofdishes.

The object of the invention is further to' provide a machine which 1shall be of simple construction readily operable by a small amount ofpower, preferably obtained from an electric, motor. which shall bedurable and which shall occupy a minimum amount of space. i

The object of the invention is further to provide a machine in which thedishes shall be cleansed solely by the action of the water or cleansingfluid and without.

the use of brushes or other mechanical devices upon the dishes.

The object of the invention is further to provide a machine in which allthe work ing parts are readily removable from the tank to liable allparts of the machine to be cleansed. L.

The object of the invention-is further to provide a machine of thischaracter which may be connected to a water main and to a dischargeconduit so .that the water may be supplied thereto and dischargedthere-. from by simpl operating a valve.

These and ot er objects of the invention will appear more fully from theaccomdescription and drawingsandwill 2 articularly pointed out intheclaims.

11 the drawings-. Fig. 1 is a view artially in' frontelevationandpartially in vertical cross section, taken on the line 11-ofFig. 2, 'of a pre ferred form of machine embodying the in-v ventionadapted for household use.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented June 20,1922;

Application filed November 15, 1919. Serial No. 838,144. i

Fig. 2 is a view in transverse section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

F i 3 is a. detail partially in section showing the construction, of thevalve.-

Fig. 4 is a detail partially in vertical gross section taken through therinsing conuit. I

The machine comprises a closed and preferably cylindrical metal tank ofa proper size. The body 1 of the tank rests upon and is supported in ametal base 2 having a plurality of legs 3 by which it is mounted on thefloor or other support. The body 1 is provided at its upper edge with anoutwardly and upwardly flaring portion 4 and the cover 5 fits within andrests at its lower edge upon this flaring portion. The edges of bothcover and bodyare preferably beaded at 6. cylindrical surface of thecover 5 ,is of slightly larger diameter than that of the body 1 so thatthere is little chance of water passing the line of juncture while suchas does drains back into the tank.

The dishes to be washed are supported in a skeleton frame 7 made ofwire. .The

frame may be of any desired construction in order to sup ort thedifferent styles of dishes to be was ed.

The frame is removably supported in the body of the tank. The dishes tobe washed are first placed in the frame and then the frame is lifted andplaced in the tank. Any suitable means ma be provided for supporting theframe, ut as ,shown the frame is provided with a laterally extendingupper edge formed by bending the wires of the frame laterall ;at 8 toengage an annular wire 9. This edge rests upon a suitable shelf orprojection from the interior of the body of the tank. This shelf" in thepreferred form is the upper face of an annular hollow rinsing conduit 10secured to the interior of the body of the tank and provided withapertures 11 extending through its upper wall and aper tures 12extending through its inner wall-'- The water or cleansing fluid such as'a soapy solution is placed in the bottom of the body of the tank. Theprinciple upon which the invention acts is that of projecting the wateror cleansing fluid with considerable force and in finely divided parti-30 i trolled by the. upper edge of the deflecting cles against allportions of the dishes in all directions and at all angles and tocontinue.

This action is secured by a plurality ofwater vdistributors which in thepreferred form of the invention take the form of radial bladesprojecting from the side faces of wheels. These water distributors aremounted in' the bottom of the tank below the suspended dishes andpartially submerged in the water or cleansing fluid in such a mannerthat they are capable both of rotation and of revolution. ,This combinedrotation and revolution is preferably secured by mounting a plurality ofthe water distributors upon a horizontally extending shaft carried in asupport, in turn rotating on a vertical axis. Thus, as the waterdistributors rotate about their own axis they at the same time revolveabout the vertical axis of the support.v In addition a deflecting aproncarried by the support insures the deflection of the water projected bythe dis-. tributors in an upward direction. This deflecting apronconstantly maintains what may be termed a false water levelbecauseindependently of the amount of water in the bottom of the tank itsdistribution is conapron. Thus as the distributors are revolved androtated the water is picked up and projected thereby against the dishesin all directions and at all angles.

A simple and preferred construction for securing this result isillustrated. An electric motor 13 is secured to the base 2 as by beingbolted at 14 to a flange 15 extending downwardly from the base. The axisof this motor is preferably alined with the center of the tank. Abearingblock 16 having an upwardly projecting annular bearing 17 is mountedcentrally in the bottom of the tank and projects at 18 through thebottom of the body of the tankand through the base 2 of the frame. Thisbearing block; is S01 dered or otherwise secured in place to form awater tight joint. .A shaft'19 is journalled vertically in the bearingblock and passes through a stufling box 2.0. This shaft 19 is connectedby an insulating connection 21 .wlth the driving shaft 22 of the'motor13.

The water distributors are carried upon a support fitting over the shaft19 and mounted upon the bearingblock 16. This support comprises acentral-hub '23 having an annular recess at its bottom so that it is adated block. -.This hub isextended upwardly to rovide oppositely disposedprojections 24 having alined bearings for a'horizontally disposed shaft25. This'sha-ft adjacent t one of the projections 24 has mounted there-'arated by spacers 32.

aft.

one bevelled gear 26 in mesh with a bevelled ed for vertical rotation inthe hub 23 and provided with an interlocking connection with the shaft19.

The shaft 25 extends substantially across the tank and has mountedthereon at each These distributors are each shown as blades extendingradially of and parallel with the shaft and in this case projectinglaterally from wheels or disks. Each wheel in the preferred formillustrated comprises a hub 29, a disk 30 extending' from the hubtransversely of the shaft, and is provided with a plurality of radiallaterally extending blades 31 arranged in staggered relation at oppositesides of the disk. 'Theselwheels are keyed or secured to the shaft 25and are sep- They are so spaced that they will not all track as they arere- .gear 27 carried upon a stub shaft 28 mountside a plurality of waterdistributors. Y

volved, and this spacing is so arranged as to 1 cause the Waterprojected by the distributors against the dishes to be equalizedthroughout v the tank.

A defiectingapron 33 is preferably formed upon the supporting hub 23 bybeing cast thereon and extends preferably in an' arcuate curvev in frontof the-lower portion of the upward path ofthe distributors. consideringthe front as where the blades are moving upwardly. At its outer endsthis deflecting apron is carried upwardly to form vertical supports 34in which the outer ends of the shaft 25 have their bearings. Thisdeflecting apron preferably has its lower edge about in the verticalplane of the shaft 25 and its upper edge about in the plane of thebottom of the shaft 2'5. v

e cleansing fluid which is preferably a solution of soap and water issupplied to or,

admitted to the body of the tank and fills a the tank about .to thelevel of the bottom of the shaft 25- so that the water distributors arepartially immersed therein. The dome shaped cover 35 is fitted over thehub 23 and covers the gears 26 and '27. This cover is not intended to bewater tight but it prevents dirt and foreign substances from beingthrown into the gears. Any water leakingor 'ng in the space beneath thecover dralns out through an opening 36 provided for that urpose.

When frame containing the dishes has been placed in the tank and thecover 5 put into position and the cleansing fluid supplied and theelectric motor put into operation the gear '27 is rotated andconsequently rotates't e gear 26 and the shaft 25 with the distributorsconnected thereto. Theme-- tor is driven at a fairly high speed andconsequently the distributors are rotated at a high speed. Owing to thefact that there is butkone ear 26 on the shaft 25 and this is at one sie ofthe center, and owing to the fact that the distributors are immersedin the water, the action is such as to produce a slow and steadyrevolution of the shaft and I apron 33 and thrown upwardly in a spray offine particles against the dishes. As the support slowly revolves thewater is thus projected in all directions and at all angles against thedishes thoroughly washing and cleansing them. The number of thedistributors and the speed of the rotation may be arranged and governedas found necessa by the size of the machine and the character of thedishes to be cleansed.

The machine in its preferred form is intended to be set up permanentlyand connected to a suitable hot water main and provided with a. suitabledischarge conduit so that the water may be readily supplied to anddischarged from the tank. A simple and efiicientmeans for securing thisresult is illustrated. An annular valve casing 37 is provided preferablyhaving extending radially therefrom four branch pipes, 38, 39,

40, and 41. The branch pipe 38 forms a conduit to the tank at an inletandoutlet opening 42 formed in the bottom of the tank near the edge. Thebranch. pipe 39 is connected to a pipe 43 and therewith forms a conduitopening into the rinsing conduit 10. The branch pipe 40 is connected toa discharge conduit 44. The branch pipe 41 is connected to a water main45 preferably running to a supply of hot water. An overflow from thetank is preferably provided and is shown as a pipe 46 connected to thewall of the tank and to the discharge conduit 44. The valve provided inthe valve casing 37 is of a peculiar type and is shown in detail in Fig.3. Thisvalve 47 is provided; with one straightaway passage 48 and. tworadial passages 49 having an angle of less than ninety degrees with eachother and symmetrically disposed with respect to the straightawaypassage. A suitable handle 50 having a suitable indicator 51 is providedfor operating the valve. While this valve may be arranged to make anydesired connection it is referably arranged to operate as follows.

Vhen the machine is ready for use and the dishes to-be-washed are inplace, the valve is turned so that the passa es 49 connect the branchpipes 41 and 40. This laces the water main 45 in connection Wlttthedischarge conduit 44. -Thus any cold water is discharged. As soon as thewater is running at full high temperature the valve is turned to bringthe passages 49into communication with the branch pipes 41. and 38. Thisplaces the water main 45 in communication with the tank and hot water isnow admitted until it begins to run out of the over-flow. The valve isthen turned to a neutral position; the machine is then operated untilthe dishes are thoroughly cleansed. The valve is then turned to bringthe passageway 48 into communication with the branch pipes 40 and 38 allas shown in Fig. 3. This connects the opening 42 of the tank directlywith the discharge conduit whereupon the dirty water or cleansing fluidis discharged. The valve is then turned to bring the straightawaypassage 48 into commumcation with the pipe 43, this connects the watermain 45 with the rinsing conduit 10. The hot water then squirts outthrough the openings 11 and 12 and pours down over the dishes thoroughlyrinsing them. The valve is then turned to permit the discharge of thewater through the discharge conduit. The cover 5 I is removed and thedishes taken out.

When it is desired to clean the tank and the water distributors all thatis necessary to do is to reach into the tank and lift out the support 23bodily. This leaves the tank entirely unobstructed except for the smallbearing plug 16 at the bottom and enables it to be entirely cleansed.The support and distributors are also readily cleansed when outside ofthe tank.

The hot rinsin water not only removes all traces of the c eansing waterleaving the dishes thoroughly cleansed but, if of a reasonablyhightemperature, so heats the dishes that they become dry when removed 5from the tank, rendering wiping unneces- Tiaving thus described myinvention what I claim as new and desire to' secure by LettersPatentis 1. Adish washing machine comprising a closed tank, means forsupporting the dishes in the upper part of'the tank, a support mountedfor rotation on a vertical axis in the bottom of the tank, a pluralityof water distributors mounted for rotation on hori-.

machine comprising a water, a plurallty of water distributors and meansfor simultaneously rotating an gevolving the said distributors with theaxes of rotation and revolution in relative angular disposition toproject the water in' mu t' tudinous directions and angles against thedishes.

3. A dish washing machine com risin a closed tank, means for supportingthe dis es in the upper part of the tank above the water, a supportmounted in the bottom of the tank for rotation on avertical axis, ahorizontal shaft carried by the said support,

a plurality of water distributing bladesmounted on said shaft, and meansfor simul-. taneously rotating said shaft and revolving it about thevertical axis of the support to cause the blades to project the water inmultitudinous directions and angles against th dishes.

4. A dish washing machine having the. ,construction definedin claim 3together with .a deflectin apron carried by the support and extending infront of the lower portion of the upward path of said blades.

i 5. A dish washing machine comprising a A closed tank, means forsupportingthe dishes said shaft, a driving member for "thehorizontal'shaft mounted on the support, and means for separablyconnecting the said driving shaft and driving member whereby the supportwith the shaft and water distriblptors may be bodily removed from thetan I r 6. A dish washing machine comprising a tank, means forsupporting the dishes in the tank,. rinsing means acting to direct wateron the dishes, a valve casing, a water main conduit connected to thevalve casing, a pluwashing water or the main with the tank connected tothe valve casing, a discharge rality of conduits from the valve casingto the tank, and a valve member in the casing movable to connect eitherthe main with the tank through one conduit to supply the through anotherconduit to supp? rinsing water or the discharge conduit W112 the tankthrough oneof the conduits to discharge the water.

7. A dish washing machine comprising a "tank, means for supporting thedishes in the tank, rinsing means acting to direct water ly revolvedabout on the dishes, a valve casing, a water main connected to the valvecasing, a discharge conduit connected to the valve casing, a pluralityof conduits from the valve casing to the tank, and a valve member in thecasing movable to connect either the. main with the another conduit tosupply rinsing water or' the discharge conduit with the tank through oneof the conduits to discharge the water.

8. A water distributing element fora dish washing machine comprising 'acentral supporting hub, a vertical shaft mounted in said hub, ahorizontal shaft mounted in said hub, a driving connection between saidshafts, a plurality of water distributors secured to said horizontalshaft, and an armate deflecting apron carried by thehub and extending inclose proximity to said distributor's throughout substantially the lowerquadrant of their upward movement.

9. A water distributing element constructed as defined in claim 8 in.which the said apron at its ends is provided with-upwardly extendingportions forming bearings for the outer ends of the horizontal shaft. v

' 10. A dish washing machine comprising a closed tank, means forsupporting the dishes in the upper part of the tank above the water, asupport mounted for horizontal rotation in the bottom of the tank, ahorizon-.

tal shaft carried bythe support, a plurality ofwater distributorssecured to said shaft, a vertical driving shaft mounted in the support,agear on the drivingshaft, and a gear on the horizontal shaft in meshtherewith whereby when the driving sha'ftis driven-the horizontalshaft'is rapidly rotated and slowthe vertical axisof the driving shaft.

11. A dish washing machine comprising the construction defined in claim10 together with a deflecting apron carried by the support and extendingin front of the lower up wardly moving portions of the distributors.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification. i

ALVA: M; DOW.

